SECTION 1

INTRODUCTION TO
POST-TENSIONED
CONCRETE
DEVELOPED BY THE PTI EDC-130 EDUCATION COMMITTEE
 NOTE: MOMENT DIAGRAM
CONVENTION
• In PT design, it is preferable to draw moment diagrams to
the tensile face of the concrete section. The tensile face
indicates what portion of the beam requires reinforcing
for strength.
• When moment is drawn on the tension side, the diagram
matches the general drape of the tendons. The tendons
change their vertical location in the beam to follow the
tensile moment diagram. Strands are at the top of the
beam over the support and near the bottom at mid span.
• For convenience, the following slides contain moment
diagrams drawn on both the tensile and compressive face,
denoted by (T) and (C), in the lower left hand corner.
Please delete the slides to suit the presenter's convention.
REVIEW:
FUNDAMENTALS OF
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

NEW:
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
PRE-TENSIONING AND
POST-TENSIONING
REVIEW OF REINFORCED CONCRETE

Critical Point for Cracking

Stages of Behavior
Uncracked Cracked (~Elastic) Ultimate

ı ı ı
 REVIEW OF REINFORCED
CONCRETE
Moment

Large deflections due to cracking

Mn

My

Mcr Steel is not engaged until after cracking

Curvature
 REVIEW OF REINFORCED
CONCRETE

Reinforcement is PASSIVE
Steel crosses cracks, but does not prevent them
 QUESTION TO PONDER
Suppose a R/C beam has too much cracking and too
much deflection. How might you propose to fix it? (i.e.
not replace it)

Tension (bending) + Compression (“squeezing”) =

Net Zero Stress
“Sqeezed” Before Loading (Pre-compressed):
Pre-Compression (“prestressing”) + Tension (bending) =
Net Zero Stress
 Prestressing: Concrete pre-compressed before
loading in bending (flexural tension)

HOW TO BUILD IT?

1. Pre-Tensioning: Steel tensioned before
concrete is placed
2. Post-Tensioning: Steel tensioned after
concrete is hardened

Prestressing is ACTIVE – can prevent

cracks from forming
 PRE-TENSIONING

1. Tension Strands

2. Cast Concrete – Bond strands to concrete

3. Cut Strands – Transfer force to concrete

 POST-TENSIONING

Section

1. Cast Concrete with Duct

2. Feed Strands through Duct

3. Tension Strands

4. Grout Duct (or other corrosion protection)

 POST-TENSIONING
• Post-tensioning can take on any profile

• Draped configurations are much more

common than straight tendons
• Why?
 Force Transfer by
Steel-Concrete bond

PRE-TENSIONING

Force Transfer at
end anchor

Post-Tensioning

Strain Compatibility and Force Equilibrium:

Steel held at length longer than it “wants” to be: Tension

Concrete compressed shorter than it “wants” to be: Compression

 Pre-Tensioned elements are often precast in a
factory and shipped to the site

 Post-Tensioned elements can be cast and

tensioned in the final location (cast-in-place).
They can also be precast.
PRE-TENSIONING
INSTALL PRESTRESSING STRANDS
PRE-TENSIONING
TENSION STRANDS
PRE-TENSIONING
STRANDS AFTER TENSIONING
PRE-TENSIONING
INSTALL MILD REINFORCEMENT
PRE-TENSIONING
INSTALL INSERTS AND ASSEMBLIES
PRE-TENSIONING
SET FORM SIDES
PRE-TENSIONING
PLACE CONCRETE
 PRE-TENSIONING
CURE CONCRETE WITH ACCELERATED METHODS
PRE-TENSIONING
REMOVE GIRDER FROM CASTING BED
PRE-TENSIONING
MOVE GIRDER TO STORAGE
PRE-TENSIONING
TRANSPORT TO JOBSITE
PRE-TENSIONING
GIRDERS IN FINISHED STRUCTURE
POST-TENSIONING
Ducts for Post-Tensioning
POST-TENSIONING
POST-TENSIONING
POST-TENSIONING
POST-TENSIONING
POST-TENSIONING
POST-TENSIONING
 POST-TENSIONING
Stressing Strands:

Single Strand: Monostrand

Multiple Strands: Multistrand

HOW ARE STRANDS ANCHORED?

Cast against concrete at

end of beam
 HOW ARE STRANDS
ANCHORED?
Concrete Anchor cast in concrete

Duct

Strand
 POST-TENSIONING:
Bonded System Unbonded System
(at high point)

“PT Coating” (grease)

Grout
 GROUTING POST-TENSIONED
SYSTEMS
Vent

Grout In

Vent
POST-TENSIONING
 STRUCTURAL EFFECT OF
PRESTRESSING
True for Pre- and Post-Tensioning

Pre-Stressing Applied Load Total Stress

T C T C T C

+ =

Stress Limits
 STRUCTURAL EFFECT OF
PRESTRESSING
True for Pre- and Post-Tensioning

Service

Pre-Stressing Applied Load Total Stress

T C T C T C T C

+ + =

Transfer
ECCENTRIC PRESTRESSING
Eccentricity in prestressing:
- Desirable at midspan
- Not productive, even detrimental, at end of span

Strategies for pre-tensioned systems:

- Draped / harped profiles
Temporarily held in place before concrete
is hardened
- Debonding
Not all strands are active at end of span
Strategies for post-tensioned systems:
- Install ducts in desired profile
COMMON CONFIGURATIONS
Pre-tensioning:

Draped

Debonded

Post-tensioning:
 PROBLEM FOR THOUGHT…
Where should the prestressing be placed?

Tension

Tension
Moment Diagram

(T)
 PROBLEM FOR THOUGHT…
Where should the prestressing be placed?

Option 1 Tension

Tension
Moment Diagram

Good: Bad:
•Efficient at midspan •Counter-productive over
(T) •Easy to construct support
 PROBLEM FOR THOUGHT…
Where should the prestressing be placed?

Option 2 Tension

Tension
Moment Diagram

Good: Bad:
•Efficient over support •Counter-productive at
(T) •Easy to construct midspan
 PROBLEM FOR THOUGHT…
Where should the prestressing be placed?

Option 3 Tension

Tension
Moment Diagram

Good: Bad:
•Efficient over support •Difficult to construct
(T) •Efficient at midspan
 PROBLEM FOR THOUGHT…
Where should the prestressing be placed?

Option 4 Tension

No net No net
eccentricity eccentricity
Tension
Moment Diagram

Requires post-tensioning; very difficult to achieve by pre-

tensioning
(T)
 SUMMARY: PRESTRESSED
CONCRETE
 Efficient use of materials – concrete maintained
in compression, crack control
 Smaller deflections/thinner members
 Longer spans
 Corrosion resistance
 Less material; reduced environmental impact